Kelly Oliver
Kelly Michael Oliver is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in WWE for Extreme (WWEFE), where he is the NXT: Season 1 winner and a three-time and current WWE Champion. He is currently signed to its SmackDown! brand as the leader of The Takeover. Early Life Kelly Oliver grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. He was the first in his family to attend college, going to Missouri State University on a football scholarship. After graduating, he toured with various small wrestling, boxing and mixed martial arts promotions. Career High Profile Wrestling (2006) Oliver debuted in High Profile Wrestling (HPW) under the ring name "Michael Clark", tag teaming with Paul Duncan. After failing to win the HPW Tag Team Championship, they entered a brief feud with Collision Course, in an angle that involved the team getting run over by The Kaped Crusader in a truck. They stayed with the company until it folded in December of 2006. Independent circuit (2007) Oliver made his first wrestling appearance after being released from HPW at an OMEGA show, on February 18, competing under his given name. He competed periodically in Japan throughout the rest of 2007, before being signed to a developmental contract with the WWE in December. WWE for Extreme (2008-present) NXT (2008) Oliver debuted in WWE for Extreme (WWEFE) on February 28 as a part of the first season of NXT with Kris Kutter as his designated Pro. He dominated the competition, remaining consistently at the top of the Pro's Polls, finishing the season with a perfect 8-0 record. As a result of winning the competition, he received a full-time WWE contract, as well as a guaranteed title opportunity at a future pay-per-view (PPV) event. SmackDown! debut and the WWE Championship (2008-2009) Oliver was brought up to the SmackDown! brand, continuing his alliance with Kutter as a part of the Kutter Regime. He played the role of the enforcer, serving as Kutter's muscle after Hillbilly Jim was drafted to ECW. On the June 6 edition of SmackDown!, Oliver utilized his guaranteed WWE Championship opportunity on the then-champion, Mickie James. Kelly then began competing in matches again, picking up impressive victories over Reaper and Jazz Powers. Oliver was further pushed by making Mickie James tap out during their live contract signing. Kelly Oliver went on to win the WWE Championship at Night of Champions when he pinned James. He entered brief feuds with Reaper and Edge until eventually dropping the title in a Championship Scramble match at Unforgiven. After losing the title, Oliver adopted a gimmick where he referred to himself as a mythical dragon whose gold had been stolen, promising to "burn" the SmackDown! brand until he reclaimed it. This began a series of victories for Oliver, where he would often times dominate lesser superstars. He feuded briefly with Ciaran Maher before he began feuding with Jerry Static, who had begun calling himself the "Dragon Tamer". The two began exchanging promos and interfering in eachother's matches, until Static was drafted to RAW. The two met at Bragging Rights in a match for points in the show's brand feud theme. Oliver won, as he would again do at Cyber Sunday in a submission match. The feud dies off following the second match, and Oliver competed on Viper's Survivor Series team. The following night, he announced his intent to attack Chris Robertson after the two competed in a tag team match, but Jerry Static returned to SmackDown briefly to interfere and draw Oliver away from the match (although Robertson won it by himself). Static stopped appearing on television following the incident, although a two-out-of-three falls count anywhere match was scheduled between the two for Armageddon. At the event, Oliver aired footage of him assaulting Static in the parking lot on the November 28 episode, which had been Static's last appearance. After declaring himself the winner by default, Static appeared and still competed the match, although Oliver would win for a third time. Oliver would take a short hiatus to deal with nagging injuries, although the kayfabe reason for his absence was due to a suspension over the Static attack. He returned on the January 16, 2009 episode of SmackDown!, defeating Anthony Rainen in a celebrated match. He would go on to later tag team with X-Division Champion JKB Kid on March 13, defeating WWE Champion Chris Robertson and Primal. During the match, Oliver was cheered and behaved like a face, although he attacked Kid after the match, making him a tweener. He would face Kid one-on-one the next week. Oliver began falling into the background for awhile, competing and gaining face recognition. He entered a brief feud with The Sandman, defeating him first at Judgment Day and then later on Sandman's terms at Extreme Rules. The Takeover (2009-present) Oliver turned heel again on the July 2 edition of SmackDown! when he debuted the heel stable The Takeover, having them assault and take out his former Kutter Regime partners Kris Kutter and Hillbilly Jim. Oliver began cutting promos claiming he's been held down in the WWE, having The Takeover attack most of his opponents. He specifically targeted then-WWE Champion Jasper Merrick, challenging him to a title match at SummerSlam. Merrick accepted, on the condition that the match be inside a steel cage. With assistance from The Takeover, Oliver defeated Merrick to become a two-time WWE Champion. In the following weeks, Oliver cut promos on the Championship Scramble Match at Unforgiven, where he lost the championship the year before. Oliver defended the title at Unforgiven, dropping the belt to Andy Brookes. Oliver would issue a rematch challenge on the September 11 episode of SmackDown! They met in singles competition at No Mercy in a hotly contested match, which Oliver won to become a three-time WWE Champion. After revealing that Brookes wouldn't be challenging for a rematch, he was confronted by a returning Patrick Hunter. The Takeover tried to soften Hunter up before their match at Cyber Sunday, but Hunter was protected by Vince McMahon after winning a match over McMahon's rival, Jasper Merrick. Personal life Oliver has a younger brother named Jason Oliver who temporarily competed for WWE for Extreme as part of its NXT program, but now competes on the independent circuit. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' :* Anklelock toe-hold :* Dragon/Knockout Suplex (Full nelson suplex, sometimes with bridge, used in WWEFE) :* Neckbreaker of Doom (Rope assisted elevated cutter, used in HPW) :* Planter (Uranage side slam, used in HPW) :* Chopped Liver (Back-to-back double underhook sitout piledriver, used in HPW) *'Signature moves' :* Cradle suplex :* Full Nelson :* Guillotine choke :* Rear naked choke :* Shining Wizard (HPW) :* Shooting Starr Press :* Side belly-to-belly suplex :* Split-legged moonsault (HPW) :* Superkick (HPW) :* Triangle choke :* Yakuza kick (HPW) *'Managers' :* Cassandra Wit :* Kris Kutter :* Paul Duncan *'Wrestlers Managed' :* Hillbilly Jim :* Kris Kutter :* Paul Duncan *'Entrance Themes' :* "A Cut Above" by Avery Watts :* "Blood Brothers" by Papa Roach (used as Michael Clark) :* "Ten Thousand Fists" by Disturbed (used as part of The Kutter Regime) Championships and accomplishments *'WWE For Extreme' :* WWE Championship (3 times) :* Winner of NXT Season 1 Category:1973 births Category:American wrestlers Category:WWE for Extreme Category:High Profile Wrestling Category:Wrestlers Category:NXT contestants Category:The Kutter Regime Category:The Takeover Category:WWE champions Category:WWE NXT